Headlines

I.Where readers start.

The importance of headlines cannot be understated. For many
editors, can seem like added burdens; the stories are what really count.
Headlines are far too often written last (often quickly and under deadline
pressure).

But let’s think like a reader. The reader unfolds the
newspaper and sees what first? The photos, the headlines. These are the first
reader entry points.Busy people (which
includes all of your readers) scan the newspaper, surveying photos, headlines
and cutlines to decide if they want to commit more time to reading the stories
that interest them. The photos, cutlines and headlines are thus important
decision-making points. In fact, they may be more important than any paragraph
in a normal story. Probably more news consumers see the headlines and cutlines
on Page One than read the first graph of even the lead story.

Good photography and writing good cutlines are vital ¾ but
this lesson focuses on the page editor’s role in providing information the
reader needs to decide whether to read on: writing good headlines. Consider
this: what is the correlation of the readers’ needs for headlines -- and the
importance placed on them by editors in terms of attitude and time allotted
toward the task. Editors should dedicate plenty of time to this important
task.

Headlines must be accurate: in fact, in implication, in
spelling, in grammar.When readers see
errors, they assume a similar rate of error will continue.They must decide whether it is worth their time
to read a story that may start with a 20 percent error rate in the headline
(e.g., one error in five words).

II.Four imperatives for writing headlines:

Headlines:

·
must be correct (in fact and implication).

must
connect to ordinary readers (be easily understood).

must
attract attention (using interesting, active words).

must
set (or match) tone of the article.

Headline warning: Never allow cute, creative
headlines to blind you to the need for accuracy. Be alert to headlines that
have unintended meanings.

Current trend in headline writing. Use hammer
headlines: 1-3 words without a verb, often using a double-meaning or subtlety.
The subhead then explains the news accurately

4.Is
it accurate, true? Proper words used? Is the thrust of subject-verb true?

5.A
single “NO” above is a veto. One “No” vote represents thousands of readers.
Start over: rethink the headline from the beginning.

IV
The One-Last-Look Step.

Each version of each headline must pass the TACT Test -- one
last time. Don’t forget this step. Don’t rush through or bypass the TACT Test.
The last or latest version must be examined as if it were the first version.

Errors in headlines do not often occur because the writer
doesn’t care. Many have occurred on headlines that got plenty of attention,
but the One-Last-Look Step was skipped. It may have been a difficult head
to write -- and all agree the last one solves a key problem. This may be the
time when no one stops to reexamine it one last time for a newly created problem
(e.g., a typo/misspelled word, a double meaning, a word that can be misunderstood
by the ordinary reader). Always pause a minute to conduct the One-Last-Look
Step.

Beware when everyone falls in love with the latest version
of a headline.Here’s an example of a
short-circuited headline writing process: a story about Mideast violence in the
fall of 2000. The story reported that Palestinian outbursts often occurred on
Fridays after Sabbath noon prayers. Here’s the news headline:

Mideast
violence flairs

after
Sabbath prayers

The problem: The writer of the headline too quickly
became infatuated with the rhyme and didn’t double-check to make sure it was
accurate. The writer forgot the One-Last-Look Step. The word flairs is
the wrong word; the correct word: flares. Fortunately, this was caught
and corrected by another editor whore-examined the headline carefully with a
healthy, skeptical approach ¾ before it was published.

VI.
Choosing headline verbs.

·Use active, short, action verbs.

Remember
to have fun; think of more interesting ways to attract the reader.

Balance
the fun/attractive elements of the headline with accuracy. It must remain
accurate.

Avoid
words that could be read as either a noun or a verb.

Examine
connotations, context, unintended meanings.

Work
hard to find the precise verb that summarizes the action.

·A note about synonyms. Are there any? There may be some
¾
but most words carry distinct connotations. Get the right word.

Heads
without verbs

·Use creative, attractive hammers of one to three
words.

Then
add drop heads in smaller type that clearly explains heart of story.

Make
the right choice: clear labels vs. vague labels (clear is better).

Use
humor and double meanings effectively.

Beware
the pitfalls of over-simplification.

Avoiding headlinese

Shun headline jargon whenever possible:

·
Stenholm eyes new legislation.

Syrian
head visits Senate.

Mexican
left wins more seats.

Arson
suspect held in Smithson case.

Another
gubernatorial candidate enters fray.

FBI
probe expected in hijacking case.

VII. Some do’s & don’ts

(Borrowed, adapted and condensed
from a number of sources.)

·Make the headline easy to read. The key purpose of the
head: to communicate.